The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-04-14
WHITE HOUSE BLOOMS
MRS. CLEVELAND AMONG HER
FLORAL TREASURES.
Horticulture in the Grounds of the Presi-
Dental Mansion-The Favorite Flower Of
the Young Wife-Improvements in the
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES at Pretty Prospect.

the Young Wife-Improvements in the
Conservatory-Scenes at Pretty Prospect.
WASHINGTON, April 11-.As the spring
advances Mrs. Cleveland begins to take
a more active interest in the landscape
gardening in the grounds surrounding
the mansion, greatly to the delight of the
gardener, who is never so proud as when
some effort of his in this line has re-
ceived the approval of the Presidents
young wife. 1t is not an unusual sight
on fine afternoons to see the President
and Mrs. Cleveland strolling through the
grounds south of the mansion. Now
and then Mrs. Cleveland lays OBTAINING
hand upon her husbands arm as she
stops for few moments to gaze at the
two great circular beds on the large
lawn, around the edges of which gay
border of yellow and purple crocuses
is now in full blossom. The enclosure
within the openwork iron railing on the
other side of the broad gravel walk is
now beginning gradually to give promise
of that world of odorous bloom in which
itl will soon be at its height when
the myriads of hyacinths will have at
tanned their perfection. Few persons, to
look at the President, would imagine
that under his serious, unpoetic exterior
there turks world of tenderness and
sentiment. His wife's ardent love of
flowers was well known to the President
before their marriage and he contrived
/ f0r hor ttx, l;,,,o g., hoo
as last spring in the laying out of the
large heart-shaped beds on the south
front of the house. The flower pre-
eminently favorite with Mrs. Cleve-
land is the pansy, for which she has
from early childhood shown a marked
preference. 1t was happy thought that
upon the arrival of the young bride at
the White House she should be greeted
by the pretty sight of these heart-shaped
flower-beds, a mass of blooming pansies
of every hue and color known to the
horticulturists' art. The gardener, aware
of her preference for,pansies, always con-
trives to have them blooming through
each successive season, and, though the
flower-beds are planted appropriately
with such blooms as follow each other in
due order from the first crocus of early
spring to the the spicy chrysanthemum
of late autumn, one can always be sure
of finding in some favored nook cluster
OF pansies with their upturned faces
basking in the sunlight. 1t will be re-
membered that upon the occasion of Mrs.
Cleveland's marriage she received from
different friends no less than five pansy-
pins, and later on her birthday in July
this number received several additions.
Indoors she has dainty fashion of not
only always wearing flowers but of sur
, rounding herself with them in her room,
and not infrequently, while sauntering
through the upper corridor, is called upon
to give a casting vote in the arrangement
of the palms and plants with which it is
always ornamented The practice of
carrying large punches of flowers at the
: state receptions and dinners at the White
House has never been adopted by Mrs.
Cleveland, even when the ladies of the
, cabinet standing in line with her carried
the conventional bouquet. In the earlier
portion of the season it was remarked by
l every one that welcome reform in the
i, matter of overlooking the corsage with
l flowers had been instituted by the first
: lady of the land, who wore always a sin.
gle perfect rose, fastened with careless
grace in the lace of her corsage. This
, of course inaugurated the fashion which
has since become so popular. As the sea-
son advanced the rose was abandoned for
| a spray of orchids, a cluster of lilies OF
r the valley, or some equally odorous bios
som. 1t is the gardeners especial pride
) whenever, after eXpending care and skill
! upon any particular plant, he is rewarded
| by the perfection of its blossoms that the
very choicest bloom shall be sent to Mrs
Cleveland, that she may enjoy it first in
all its newness and rarity.
l By far the most charming spot in the
White House is the little apartment lead.
ing out of the Presidents room used by
him in his bachelor days as sort of pri
vate Office, but now Mrs. Cleveland's own
private sanctum, the one corner of the
mansion exclusively her own. In accord
ance with her wishes this room remained
just as it was until after the return from
the wedding trip, from which time, tc
their departure to the Adirondacks, she
planned alterations and improvements
her wishes being carried into execution
a during their several weeks spent Ii
roughing it in the mountains. Now
though simple enough, far too simple fol
the Presidents wife many would think
this little room is one of the pretties
r places imaginable, evincing on every side
t the dainty taste of its occupant. The
walls are of beautiful soft pink, while
o the deep freize is an artistic mingling o.
pale blue and olive tints. The carpet il
, a blue ground on which, in delicate trac
cry, is a graceful pattern in pink anC
olive. Over the lace curtains at the
+ windows hang portieres of twisted sill
j, in which the three colors of the room arr
intermingled. The woodwork of tht
chamber set is of cherry, but all about OF
u mantel, table, on the walls and about tn,
room are various elegant bric-a-b -brac
n pictures, easels, screens, hanging bronze
and bits of statuary, presents received by
q Mrs. Cleveland at the time of her mar
4 riage. Enter the room when one viii
. he will y always find profusion O
flowers about, and always a cluster o
pansies, a lovely little vase on the dress
a ing table generally standing full of thes
= flowers. In the north window is larg
Is plant of Easter lilies in full bloom, but a
the west window, when the afternoon
70 sunlight streams into the apartment, /
= falls upon wealth of roses and pansies
= resplendant in richest hues of velvet,
softness.
The alte rations made last autumn in tn
% White House conservatory were compar